Bumpy

Nice to meet you. I do construction renovation projects in different countries, sell them and try and make some money in the process. I have been here in Senegal about 3 years, taking a month off here and there. Otherwise you go tribal. The morning wake up call usually isn't a big bother as the windows are 6mm security glass...it's the one's that follow which disturb the peace. Senegal is not your "arab terrorist state". It's very peaceful, little in natural resources, rich in music and the arts, but another example of French colonization, in that they inherited the system. The main problem is education, then the lack of economy, the usual corruption and lack of infrastructure. I have water and lights but not on a regular basis. I have not communicated with CES for the last couple of years when I was in France. When I did I enjoyed the newsletters, sending them a little $$ now and then, and just keeping myself abreast of what they had to say. I never participated in any activities but that's because of distance. I would have liked to have met some of people on this site. Where were you in the middle east??

Picture yourself on a terrace overlooking a beautiful African beach, it’s another PERFECT day like all the ones before. The ocean is deep blue, your workers are well tanned, all busy about their daily activities. All seems tranquil when you hear a strange noise behind you in the house... You walk in but suddenly the room has changed! This is not your house, you don’t recognize anyone in the room, but there are so many white haired or dyed middle-aged people sitting and walking about. The decor is dated, looks like something out of the ‘70’s or maybe 80’s and the people all have name tags for some reason. Suddenly next to you appears this beautiful young girl in a white nurses dress. But this is a real beautiful dress, cut just right and filled perfectly especially where the buttons should be...But before you can take my eyes from her, she smiles and says ‘welcome Bumpy’, welcome to the TWI-lite zone...Oh my God! She begins to explain to me that this is a kind of re-hab centre for all sorts of visitors but many of them are volatile so be careful. Most of them come from a particular time and place that was not such a comfortable memory and they are trying to forget, meet new people and in the process do a LOT of talking! But the name tags are all faded. I ask her, why is that? They are former identification markings sort of Orwellian, she says. It was a part of their youth and they can’t seem to take them off. Also they are very proud of them. Each one knows the time and place the other one came from, but don’t ask them to reveal anything. They are very suspecting, especially the one with the roller skates over there. Strange I say, why are they here and what are they looking for, are they on drugs? I can’t keep my eyes off her for too long, she’s beginning to remind me of someone? She bends over to pick up a discarded yellow piece of paper. Looks like an old posting, when you put your thoughts down on paper. She says, she isn’t quite sure, but many of them come and go through different rooms. It’s sort of like a maze and many of them scurry about all the time, leaving little bits of paper like the one I just picked up. But again I have to ask, what are they doing here? Is it a retirement home, do they play bridge, backgammon? Suddenly there is a bang. She says she has to go, one of her patients needs her medication, she lost her kids and doesn’t know where to find them. I turn around to see a smiling gentleman looking at me. He says, hello, you’re Bumpy aren’t you? How ‘bout having a drink at the bar, I have some funny stories to tell. ‘

Probably a smart move 20 years ago and hope this site has helped for whatever reason. I guess you have to choose your words carefully around here and do the required 'research" before you're whacked by someone who doesn't want to hear what you might have to say. It's a privledge to be communicating to the land of "free speech" and find out how much they don't want to hear anything that might not fit the dialogue. But here in Africa, it's the least of my problems. I just thought I learned something in the Word which made people different and maybe interesting to speak with, no matter how far the distance. I guess being a "poser", I am condemned to GS damnation. So much for what I thought were people of Biblical understanding.

WOW...I've been attacked? What's a poser anyway? I am trying to ask an honest question at least from my perspective and bam I'm condescending? OK, sorry to ruffle you feathers, but you all invested a lot of your time in a failed venture, maybe you don't want to hear that...more condescension I suppose. So let's leave at that. I have meant not to hurt or offend, but maybe from my "lofty perch" I saw what some should have seen? Ciao

Excuse me for interrupting, but do you twi vets miss/regret more the fall of ces or twi?? After all, seems your youth went with twi and then came the "revised" ces. Which organization was more disappointing and what do people miss the most about no longer 'belonging' to either? Just curious as it seems like a very closed type of club forum, which after all these years people just keep commiserating, about the pain, the people and what happened?

Don't be negative! Only kidding, drive it home! My problem is, I always knew I could never join a club that would have me as a member! I just don't fit in. CES when it began looked like a venue you didn't have to become a member. Heck, I haven't been to a fellowship in 20 years! I think this God business has always been forsaken because you can't put it in a bottle and just shake it. It's spiritual, kind, understanding, you know the fruits of the spirit thing. When it becomes a business, it becomes self-centred. Most people, I think want to get together that believe the same thing, support each other, etc., but when the law and order boys take over, sheeet happens. It's not really that complicated, but I think most people on this site are here for communication and support without the stress. Besides, I think were all wise enough after what we've seen? N'est pas?

Clever Question, but I think Rev. Tutu answered it by saying how the country has "lost it's way" since the removal of white rule. You can find his press releases for yourself. This for me is not just a post apartheid question of victimization, but the brutal question of how to solve a crime problem out of control. It is not a question of turning the table on the Whitie, because most of the bloodshed is due to social, tribal, economic, drug, carjackings...you name it, involving blacks, browns and immigrants. Again, go to a SA news website and find out for yourself. You be the judge, then you might like to visit Krueger?

It's my lunch time over here, so I'm going to try and add some food to this line...I have been listening to so many people who know so much more Bible than I, who seem to regret the loss of CES and all the good things that went with the people and organization, I feel it's really up to the audience to find a solution. This is not looking like it's going to be easy, but if people want this "body of Christ" on planet earth to be played out to everyone's satisfaction, a new organizatioal structure has to be created. Now I'm not very well connected to either TWI or CES, but judging from all these conversations a consensus has to come about? What do people want, how should it be designed, what are the expectations spiritually, etc. If your looking for "meat" something has to be slaughtered and I guess this pp stuff is a chunk that's got to go? Do you start a new organization with new letters with the same listeners? Do you really need so much new "research"? Isn't there enough info out there already? Who do you want to invite to the party? That bit being said, does anyone on this forum really want to go beyond talking on GreaseSpot? This is a safe place. Everyone can laugh, cry, condemn, condone, justify, rant and rave, safely at home behind their computer. There's little risk. Maybe people are just gettiing too old and they're tired of trying to resurrect the illusion of us all getting along as one big happy family?

Good Morning on GMT, I have just a few moments to respond before I have to get moving. I sent $$$ to CES because there was a guy from Togo who wanted to come to the USA and needed financial help. Also, I have not known all the goings on regarding this recent situation with CES until last week. I have not had contact with them for a couple of years now. As for the rest, it began to sound too much like TWI but with a few less twists of the rope. I think we all learned, at least I did, how to read and enjoy the Bible, find Christ, speak the truth, etc., from PFAL. A girl in TWI in the 80's who left recommended to me CES. So I took a bite. The void gets filled here in Africa everyday, trying to survive a road accident, keeping all my people fed and clothed (and their families), and too many other things I don't want to think about. As for racism, do you mean black vs. white? Anti-semetic, jew or arab?? Humor comes in many flavors. We make our own ice cream here. It's just a question of taste. I hope I answered your questions?

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/magazine...;pagewanted=all This might be fun for some of you to read? European, French, African or Fusion. The question is how fresh, how detailed, the presentation and the wine.

Well ex, you never answered my questions so what do you want me to say? There are no hidden secrets between me and CES. I just tried to help them with some $$$, but soon it bacame another TWI promotion with books, writers and the rest. Please, I know you are an expert on this site and I am not here to compete with what you know or where you have been. Please, understand I have no grievances with anyone or any organization who is held in contempt here on GS. OK?

My real name is Bumpy...what's yours? I met John Lynn for the first time in DC in '86, my last US "posting". He was still with the Way. We next met in NC after my last amazing round of golf at Pinehurst the year Payne Stewart died. You figure it out...but I think it was 1999. I played from the back tees and almost tied the couse record until I hit the 5th hole! Oh well, do you do anything but hang out here? How old are you? Are you married, successful, happy with life?

I would like to help you but you need to take care of yourself first. Please, don't use the "body of Christ" too loosely here, there is little you can do. Take care of your own relationship with God and love those around you with all you mind, strength and soul. This world is more evil than any of us can imagine and our death is just a token. I care about the future of CES. John knows that from our commitment to CES. My heart is with these people here contributing their time and heart. Place your heart where it belongs, where rust and moth doth not corrupt. I have to trust in the Lord here more everyday than it's possible to comprehend...this is an Islamic nightmare!

What is a "Rotel"?? I'm laughing because tonights dinner exceeeded because the sauce and our guard arrived back from the Casamance after the funeral of his mother. (unless you read the Portuguese press, there has been a civil war here for over 25 years) You need a guard here. Anyway, as the east is as far from the west, when I go back to the usa, it's not easy processed food etc., you get used to the things around you and American shopping "plazas" haven't yet arrived! Forget the chef, I still cook better!!

Seriously...why do people even care about what's happening at CES? It was just a bunch of good hearted guys who decided a market niche had to be filled for a bunch of TWI dropouts who needed a refill. It was a place for people to go. You needed a new angle on the same program and they gave it to you. I have only met Mr. Lynn twice. You guys know much more then I, but you let "organizations" fill a void whether it was the Way or Tom and Jerry, you were ready for the show?

This is an interesting thread...imagine being a white guy in Africa surrounded by "Africans" in South Africa, the crime capitol of the world and you want to raise a subject like this!, just before they are about to cut your balls off? Go read the SA press but be prepared for a wake up call! I leave for my next Bumpytour for one month next week to SA. Seriously check out some RSS leads and you will realize "intellectual" approaches to your American experience is irrelevant. Trust me, racism is inherent in all cultures and people. The politically correct hypocrites will talk their liberal crap, but when push comes to shove in an open parking place, that guy standing next to your car is trouble!

Think of Swordfish, 7+Feet in size, dozens of them caught sitting in front of you on the beach being loaded on carts pulled by skin and bone horses. You can buy one have it cleaned for about $40 bucks in Senegal. You then proceed to give most of it away to the village people! I have a 6'2'' Senegalese chef (everyone obviously speaks French here) and tonights menue is filet of sole, home made pasta and everynight it's some type of fish whose names in English I don't even know. It's all fresh from the ocean 100 yards away, grilled, smoked, cured, fried...ah! Calamari with shrimps Basmati rice and a cream sauce. I have trained him for 3 years and he has a library larger then all the books in the village, which is nothing to brag about! Bread is made by a Moroccan lady down the road. Nobody has even hear of Tiger Woods or McDonalds!! Bon Apetit!

Greetings from far away! Back in 'the good ol' days', probably '75 this east coast boarding school guy went out to university on the west coast. There at my door one evening two lovely Way girls invited themselves into my apartment and soon enough I was watching VP teach the class. That summer found me at the Rock where I met another "lovely" from southern California who was scheduled to hit Emporia. Well, love and Nantucket took care of that for a year. It was a really nice memory of one year together before she heard the call, and back to Emporia she went. I don't know which corps but she ended up marrying the cook. Oh well, I wonder if any of you x-corps people ever stayed married? Do you know of anyone? I went to visit her once, passing by Emporia from east to west, and had lunch in that big dining area. I remember a lot of people looking at me, and when I asked for salt they said VP doesn't use it why do you?? It was sad saying goodbye to her, but the memory is pretty funny. I appreciate the idealism I read in your posts, but never found a need to subordinate my life to a religious adventure no matter how cool the leadership played themselves out. And many of them left me shaking my head.

It's night time here in Senegal, and my "slaves" are impossible to see...at night! Ghetto Blasters outside, it's not funny but I turn up the Bose when the time comes. It starts at 5 thirty in the morning! Next week I am in South Africa for a month so I will get a break! I left the States when Carter was President so I am not too politically correct, so my brain may not be acceptable to many. I just have the feeling that people on this TWI/CES site lost their youth following people like Craig and Chris and maybe screwing a few too many "believers"...but those were the "70's" and we were so much better looking! Thanks for the birthday wishes! My wife and I (Andree) are born on the same day! She rides horses so you know what I got her for her birthday, n'est pas?

I found this site a few days ago, I think via Google? I just want to say hello. I did PFAL in '76 and when things went south in Norway with Chris Geer, I found John Lynn and CES. Reading your posts, and I have never been on a site like this before, I feel many of you are very attached to what has happened to these organizations. Forgive me if I'm out of touch, but living in West Africa does not let me keep up with things like this. It seems like many people are very sad, synical, judgemental, etc. It's too bad but maybe people just need to be rotated from authoritative positions before the system breaks down? This God business is tricky over here too. They just put in a "new" mosque complete with two super-charged microphones! Maybe someone spiritually connected out there can clue me into how you remove an Islamic microphone before they remove my head? If you think life is complicated in YOUR neighborhood...check out Africa!